New Balance has once again enlisted Jaden Smith for an eye-grabbing collaboration. Only this time, instead of his signature “Vision Racer” silhouette, Smith threw his colorful (and sustainable) spin on New Balance’s classic 574 model.
The “Jaden 574” blends colorful mesh and oversized suede panels, 81 percent of which are either recycled or surplus materials. Each pair is a sculptural collage of saturated hues, raw edges, and visible seams. The Frankensteined, textural layering adds depth to the 574’s otherwise slim silhouette. Since they’re made from surplus materials, no two pairs are exactly alike — within the shoe’s secondary color wheel and upcycled textiles, potential combinations are endless.
Branching out —
The Jaden 574 is arguably Smith’s most impactful collaboration to date. Despite starting out in sneakers with a completely new silhouette, Smith’s Vision Racer took a while to find its footing, with trippy color treatments and a hard-to-pull-off blocky sole. The inaugural model isn’t hard to find (or afford) on the resale market — the hype litmus test for celebrity sneaker collaborations.
With his first non-Vision Racer sneaker collaboration, Smith gets to flex his evolving design signatures on a well-loved silhouette. The bright hues and three-dimensional textures turn New Balance’s simple 574 into a sculpture, while each pair’s exclusivity turns it into a collector’s item. Sustainability was always part of Smith’s ethos, but this 574 might put his message on more feet than ever before.
Drop deets —
The “Jaden 574” will hit the New Balance webstore on September 17, retailing at $120.
